The Templar Legacy

The ancient order of the Knights Templar possessed untold wealth and absolute power over kings and popes until the Inquisition, when they were wiped from the face of the earth, their hidden riches lost. But now two forces vying for the treasure have learned that it is not at all what they thought it was, and its true nature could change the modern world.

Overall, a good read

The Templar Legacy is an interesting mix of history, speculation, religion, and thriller. The reader has to be ready to suspend some disbelief: the ..Show More »secret-agent-type heroes are incredibly slow at times (evidently they had never heard of a transponder) and the evil bad-guy is uncannily lucky and able to pull correct hunches out of the blue. The end of the book leans a little toward the preachy side, but I suppose it's impossible for an author to leave his personal opinions out of a book. If you can get by those things, you will enjoy a lively, "page/turning" story with many thought-provoking perspectives on history and present-day.

The Alexandria Link: A Novel

Cotton Malone retired from the high-risk world of elite operatives to lead the life of a rare-book dealer. But his quiet existence is shattered when he receives an anonymous e-mail: "You have something I want. You're the only person on earth who knows where to find it. If I don't hear from you, you will be childless." His ex-wife confirms that their teenage son has been kidnapped, and it becomes clear that those responsible will stop at nothing to get what they want: the lost library of Alexandria.

Very Entertaining

Before I got this book I read the reviews, first this narrator is just fine I foud this very easy to listen to. The subject matter may challenge your..Show More » accepted ideas on the Bible, but we learn all the time. The story moves just fine, but maybe a little predictable. I travel often and have between 200 and 300 books on audible to I listen too, this one will be replayed. If you pass it up it is your loss.

The Venetian Betrayal: A Novel

Locating Alexander the Great's final resting place, unknown to this day, remains a tantalizing goal for archaeologists and treasure hunters - as well as a cunning despot with the single-minded desire to surpass Alexander as history's ultimate conqueror. Cotton Malone, former U.S. Justice Department agent turned rare-book dealer, learns from his friend, Cassiopeia Vitt, that a suspicious blaze was part of a campaign of arson masking a diabolical plan to find Alexander's grave - and a miraculous serum.

Ok, not great

A dictator, obsessed with Alexander the Great wants to find a cure for AIDS to help her dying lover. She also has amassed a sizable collection of viru..Show More »ses which she intends to use to bring the world to its knees.... Can she be stopped?

I found this story to be merely OK. Mostly because I just didn't care about any of the characters. The protagonists were rather bland, and the dictator, though evil, was just someone I felt sorry for. The story switches between various characters and they all were rather cardboard. I liked the backstory of Alexander the Great, but I felt some parts such as the crossbow wielding agent a bit silly and over-the-top.

Nothing that trully excited me. It lacked characters I could really connect with.

The Charlemagne Pursuit: A Novel

As a child, former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone was told his father died in a submarine disaster in the North Atlantic. But now he wants the full story. He asks his ex-boss, Stephanie Nelle, to secure the military files. What he learns stuns him: His father's sub was a secret nuclear vessel lost on a highly classified mission beneath the ice shelves of Antarctica. But Malone isn't the only one after the truth.

Another classic Steve Berry complexity

Berry's novels are generally complex and follow a predictable, yet enjoyable, roadmap. This is no exception, with well researched characters and plot ..Show More »line.

The Paris Vendetta: A Cotton Malone Novel

When Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile in 1821, he took to the grave a powerful secret. As general and emperor, he had stolen immeasurable riches from palaces, national treasuries, and even the Knights of Malta and the Vatican. In his final days, his British captors hoped to learn where the loot lay hidden. But he told them nothing, and in his will he made no mention of the treasure. Or did he?

Excellent novel

This is perhaps Berry's best effort in the Cotton Malone series. Thrilling from the get go, most of the story takes place in France during the present..Show More » day with a story tie-in to the age of Napoleon Bonaparte. Cotton is put in the position of having to support one series friend and betraying the other series friend. The brunt of the story is the usual treasure chase, but in this outing, it is the strength of the characters that shines through. Berry's writing in this series entry is top notch.

The Balkan Escape (Short Story): A Cassiopeia Vitt Adventure

As a favor to enigmatic billionaire Henrik Thorvaldsen, Cassiopeia Vitt treks into Bulgaria's Rila mountains in search of a buried stash of exceedingly rare artifacts from a bygone civilization: the ancient tomb of a Thracian king. But when her presence is discovered by a shadowy group of Russians secretly mining the area, she needs a way out. Who to trust becomes the question, and her life depends on choosing the right option.

Don't waste a credit; so short, like a chapter

As much as I've come to love the works of Steve Berry, for the rich, in-depth historical perspective he chooses to plant his hypothetical mysteries. I..Show More » felt terribly cheated with this few-minute "book". There is no depth, just a cheap, fast story of a relatively uneventful escape--with promises from the author to show more of the characters in his next book, "The Emperor's Tomb". I had read that first, and really only read this because of Scott Brick. He is the very best narrator! But, even he couldn't save this shallow little quickie. It really ought to be lumped in with "Emperor's Tomb" as another chapter; which it probably was to start with, only to be saved from the cutting room floor and marketed for separate sale. Berry's REAL books are all (so far) wonderful, giving a "being there" feeling to the history most of us have just touched on in school. They are painstakingly detailed and researched, and seamlessly blended with history. This, however, is an afterthought; absolutely not worth it!

The Emperor's Tomb

The tomb of China’s First Emperor, guarded by an underground army of terra-cotta warriors, has remained sealed for more than 2,000 years. Though it’s regarded as one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world, the Chinese government won’t allow anyone to open it. Why? That question is at the heart of a dilemma faced by former Justice Department operative Cotton Malone, whose life is shattered when he receives an anonymous note carrying an unfamiliar Web address.

Dull

A disappointing offering from the usually reliable Berry. The plot is disjointed and boring, the characters lacking in anything resembling reality. Ev..Show More »en Malone doesn't measure up.

Scott Brick doesn't help the book. He's trying to control the annoying lilt at the end of each sentence with about 90% success. He doesn't do accents or character voices well, and in this book it's a major failing. It's hard to tell which character is talking.

Glad to be done with this one. Hope Berry's next book is a lot better.

The Devil's Gold

Once he was called the Sphinx, a man so inscrutable that neither his adversaries nor fellow intelligence operatives could predict his next move. Now a contract agent with a secret mission, Jonathan Wyatt has gone rogue. For eight years he's been scheming to kill two Federal agents, whom he blames for the loss of his career. But as Wyatt prepares for a final confrontation, he makes a discovery that stretches back to the horrors of World War II, to Martin Bormann and Eva Braun and to a fortune in lost gold.

A short alternative ending to Nazi history!

Yes! Particularly a friend with an interest in history, facts, & what ifs! An alternative ending to Nazi history, "The Devil's Gold", weaves historic..Show More »al fact & fiction into a new cloth.

It is a well written short story introducing Jonathan Wyatt now a rogue agent hunting for revenge from Cotton Malone who is the series star. There's less action & more dialogue in this story & Cotton Malone does not appear. But I think this is best listened to before Berry's novel "Jefferson's Key", & is ment to introduce it although is not necessary to it. Scott Brick is excellent as narrator. This is a standard story from Berry, nothing embarrassing if one is listening as a family but the fiction may need to be explained.

The Jefferson Key: A Novel

Four United States presidents have been assassinated - in 1865, 1881, 1901, and 1963 - each murder seemingly unrelated and separated by time. But what if those presidents were all killed for the same reason: a clause in the United States Constitution - contained within Article 1, Section 8 - that would shock Americans? This question is what faces former Justice Department operative Cotton Malone in his latest adventure. When a bold assassination attempt is made against President Danny Daniels in the heart of Manhattan, Malone risks his life to foil the killing....

Wow, what a great story

Warning! Do no get this book unless you can afford to get locked into a story that you can't walk away from. The scenes change rapidly through a plot..Show More » of intrigue. This is super storytelling with just enough history (and some of it true) to make the story spellbinding.

Sometimes a book goes temporarily out of print - and sometimes no audio version has ever been recorded. Audible wants to give you the most complete selection we can and we'll keep adding series and filling in gaps as quickly as possible.

The King's Deception: A Cotton Malone Novel, Book 8

Cotton Malone and his 15-year-old son, Gary, are headed to Europe. As a favor to his former boss at the Justice Department, Malone agrees to escort a teenage fugitive back to England. But after he is greeted at gunpoint in London, both the fugitive and Gary disappear, and Malone learns that he’s stumbled into a high-stakes diplomatic showdown - an international incident fueled by geopolitical gamesmanship and shocking Tudor secrets.

Another wonderfully researched thriller

I typically don't read a title if I'm going to listen to it. The reader, Scott Brick, is excellent.

The King's Deception

There is a secret from our history - 500 years old - startling in its revelations and devastating in its political impact. A secret that has, thankfully, stayed hidden. Until now. Former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone travels to England and finds himself caught in a dark conspiracy born long ago, in the time of the Tudors. Now both the CIA and MI6 seem to be competing to uncover the mystery, and for Malone, supposedly on holiday with his son, Gary, it's not just the action which comes thick and fast.

The Lincoln Myth: A Novel

New York Times best-selling author Steve Berry returns with his latest thriller, a Cotton Malone adventure involving a flaw in the United States Constitution, a mystery about Abraham Lincoln, and a political issue that’s as explosive as it is timely - not only in Malone’s world, but in ours. September 1861: All is not as it seems. With these cryptic words, a shocking secret passed down from president to president comes to rest in the hands of Abraham Lincoln.

frustration and disappointment

Steve Berry appeared to create a story that should have been strong and believable, however, plausibility wasn’t achieved and story line was convolute..Show More »d.

The Lincoln Myth

September 1861: All is not as it seems. With these cryptic words, a shocking secret passed down from president to president comes to rest in the hands of Abraham Lincoln. And as the first bloody clashes of the Civil War unfold, Lincoln alone must decide how best to use this volatile knowledge: save thousands of American lives or keep the young nation from being torn apart forever?

The Patriot Threat: Cotton Malone

Audie Award, Thriller/Suspense, 2016. In an innovative new approach, Macmillan Audio and Steve Berry have produced an expanded, annotated writer’s cut audiobook edition of The Patriot Threat. The 16th Amendment to the Constitution legalized federal income tax, but what if there were problems with the 1913 ratification of that amendment? Secrets that call in to question decades of tax collecting. There is a surprising truth to this possibility - a truth wholly entertained by Steve Berry, a top-ten New York Times best-selling writer, in his new thriller, The Patriot Threat.

I don't like the director cut format

This is a great story and Scott Brick, as always does an excellent job performing the story. But I found the that giving all the author notes at the e..Show More »nd of each chapter a total distraction and finally after about 5 chapters I had to switch over to the other format. I do like authors that recap the highlights of writing and any interesting tidbits about the story at the end, such as Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child do at the end of their books. I do want to emphasize that this a another great book by Steve Berry and Scott Brick is one of a handful of story tellers that I really love. In fact I have listened to authors that I was not familiar with simply because he was the narrator.

The Patriot Threat

A provocative thriller posing a dangerous question: what if federal income tax is illegal? The 16th Amendment to the Constitution legalized federal income tax, but what if there were problems with the 1913 ratification of that amendment? Problems that call into question decades of tax collecting and could even bring down the US economy?

The 14th Colony: A Novel

What happens if both the president and vice-president-elect die before taking the oath of office? The answer is far from certain - in fact, what follows would be nothing short of total political chaos. Shot down over Siberia, ex-Justice Department agent Cotton Malone is forced into a fight for survival against Aleksandr Zorin, a man whose loyalty to the former Soviet Union has festered for decades into an intense hatred of the United States.

Wonderfull

One of the best Steve Berry 'Cotton Malone' books in a while. As usual Scott Brick did an amazing job!

The 14th Colony

The explosive new Cotton Malone thriller by international best seller Steve Berry. People say the Cold War is coming back. For some it never went away. Shot down over Siberia in what was to be a simple meet-and-greet mission, ex-Justice Department agent Cotton Malone is forced into a fight for survival against Aleksandr Zorin, whose loyalty to the former Soviet Union has festered for decades into an intense hatred of the United States.

The Lost Order: Cotton Malone, Book 12

The Knights of the Golden Circle was the largest and most dangerous clandestine organization in American history. It amassed billions in stolen gold and silver, all buried in hidden caches across the United States. Since 1865 treasure hunters have searched, but little of that immense wealth has ever been found. Now, 160 years later, two factions of what remains of the Knights of the Golden Circle want that lost treasure - one to spend it for their own ends, the other to preserve it.

The Lost Order: Cotton Malone, Book 12

The Knights of the Golden Circle was the largest and most dangerous clandestine organization in American history. It amassed billions in stolen gold and silver, all buried in hidden caches across the United States. Since 1865 treasure hunters have searched, but little of that immense wealth has ever been found. Now, 160 years later, two factions of what remains of the Knights of the Golden Circle want that lost treasure - one to spend it for their own ends, the other to preserve it.

History Lesson … So’s You’ll Enjoy It!

If you are looking for lyrical prose … look elsewhere. Each time I start a Steve Berry audiobook, his awkward writing style drives me nearly to distr..Show More »action for a while … until I loosen up my pedantic OCD a bit, and resign myself to just enjoying the story’s plot. If good writing matters to you, but you also love intelligent thrillers, then here is your dilemma: Steve Berry is not a natural-born writer, like, say, Cormac McCarthy, or Elizabeth Peters, or James Lee Burke. However, he is a natural-born historian, and his passion for history shines through in his Cotton Malone thrillers. If, like me, you had a history allergy in school, let Steve Barry make it fun and exciting for you. Each Cotton Malone episode teaches us a fascinating history lesson by way of a hair-raising, nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat adventure. At the end of each story in the Cotton Malone series, Mr. Berry provides us with an author’s note revealing which aspects of the plot were drawn from actual historical events, and which aspects derived from his imagination. I predict that this revelation will surprise you: Frequently the most far-fetched parts of the novel turn out to have actually happened. In “The Lost Order” I learned more about the Civil War, the Smithsonian Institution, and the United States Government than I ever absorbed in school. As an extra, added bonus for Cotton Malone fans: We finally learn, here in “The Lost Order”, how Cotton got his moniker! So, here is my advice to all thriller-lovers contemplating purchasing “The Lost Order”: Temporarily forget everything you learned in English class, and prepare yourself for a Dan-Brown-esque thriller, with cryptic maps, puzzles, codes, clues, cyphers, multi-generational secret societies, and even a secret hand-shake. BTW: This Audible version of “The Lost Order” offers you two renderings of this audiobook: the first one without Mr. Berry’s interspersed commentary, and the second with it. I listened to both renderings, and recommend that you consider doing so, too, in the prescribed order. Mr. Berry’s commentary supplies both enlightening and entertaining historical insight into the story.